COVID-19 Crisis
As the whole world is going through these difficult times we are painfully aware of the many challenges everyone is facing. CellTeks is looking for ways to help our community. Everyday activities have changed completely. Simple errands like going to the grocery store have become a scary event with everyone keeping social distances. Schooling for young ones has adapted to online courses. Social gatherings with family and friends have been put on hold and we are confined to our homes. The world as we know has changed dramatically. We are living in a new normal, where living rooms have become classrooms and home offices.
Distance Learning / Virtual Learning / Working From Home
While there has been a huge spike of unemployment, there have also been millions who have now started working from home. These work from home situations have turned to video conferencing and online messaging. Companies like Zoom, Skype, Slack, etc. have become the go-to solution for work from home opportunities.
There is a new term people are using when it comes to these online classes. Distance or Virtual Learning has grown in popularity due to the many school closures and stay at home orders. This leaves teachers and students with few options. Different schools have also taken advantage of these video conference technologies to remotely communicate with students and staff. With the influx of all these new remote connections, glaring problems may arise.
Solution To The Problem
While these technologies are a great problem solver for working and learning from home, one big issue may arise. If you live in a medium to big sized city, chances are you have a good selection ISP’s(Intenet Service Provider) these can include the likes of AT&T, SPECTRUM, COMCAST, ETC… In these locations, High Speed or Fiber Internet typically are widely available. When it comes to video streaming and video conferencing a good connection is an absolute necessity. A strong and fast connection is what makes this technology possible. If you are experiencing low quality, lag, delays, or disconnecting from online videos, it’s most likely due to a slow or poor connection. With everyone at home and all of your devices using your Wi-Fi connection all at once, you might find out that you need a more robust internet package. Before you sign another contract for that ‘Super Fast Internet Package’ there might be something else you check.
Your Wi-Fi Network or Network Devices may be the problem. When an ISP comes in and installs their internet, they typically install a single Modem/Router. This single Router is responsible for covering your entire house with Wi-Fi coverage. On many occasions, this single device is just not sufficient in covering all the important areas in a house. Especially if the area you are trying to work from is far away from the router. This is where CellTeks usually comes in. After our evaluation of your Wi-Fi network, we can determine what other network devices you may need if any. Adding different access points and devices can make a world of difference to improve your connection.
Alternative Internet Services
If a good ISP is not available where you are located, options will be limited. These options become fewer the more rural your surroundings are. Once you are far enough from a major city the only two options are Satellite Internet or Internet over Cellular.
Satellite Internet
Satellite internet becomes the only option when there is absolutely no Cellular Signal to be had. Satellite internet will work depending on what kind of work you will be doing but when it comes to Video Conferencing, good luck! At CellTeks we see and use all different ISP’s. In our experience, satellite internet will have a difficult time with video conferencing. This is due to Latency and Ping times to the satellite. Latency and Ping times refers to the amount of time it takes to send and receive a signal. Simply put your device has to send up a signal all the way up to a satellite, then all the way back down. This slow transfer of data makes it almost impossible in most cases to even stream a video let alone try making a video conference call.
Internet Over Cellular
This is a solution that CellTeks has become all too familiar with. When CellTeks first began providing Turn-Key Signal Solutions we found ourselves more often than not in the middle of nowhere, Tx. With these rural areas options are limited and you must get creative. Thus we began providing our clients with internet connections that are being sourced from a cellular macro network. We then, in turn, can provide a Wi-Fi network coverage throughout home or property.
CellTeks Is Here To Help
These solutions vary from one situation to another. Not all locations will be able to achieve a strong enough connection to hold a video conference call. At CellTeks we strive to get you the best possible connection available and always test and provide a proof of concept before selling you a solution. In some cases where there is a better option that CellTeks doesn’t provide we gladly recommend because at the end of the day we want the best possible option for our clients. If you are a Healthcare industry worker, Teacher, First Responder, or any other Essential personnel dealing with COVID-19 crisis call us to find about our special discounts. From the CellTeks family to yours we would like to express our deep gratitude to those serving on the front lines of this crisis along with everyone else doing their part and self-quarantining. We are all in this together and look forward to the day that we are past this.
For more up to date information on COVID-19 please visit coronavirus.gov
CellTeks is here to help, so that you can remain connected.